Anne Mulaire's store in Winnipeg. The indigenous designer runs her business while prioritizing sustainable and environmentally ethical practices.Handout
Anne Mulaire is a flourishing women’s fashion label that stems from strong roots. Based in Winnipeg, designer Andréanne Mulaire Dandeneau, a.k.a. Anne Mulaire, is Métis of French and Ojibwe heritage, which guides how she runs her business while prioritizing sustainable, ethical practices that are kind to the environment. “I’ve always known where I came from, my past. That’s also important with our brand, to bring out pride in where you came from,” she says.
Mulaire got her start sewing costumes for her dance troupe, developing an early understanding of comfort and flexibility that continues to inform her designs today. “I’m all about going big and having a unique say on clothing but, at the end of the day, I cannot go to work and feel like I need to rip off my clothes because I am not comfortable,” she says. At her boutique, styles range from business apparel to vacation staples and leggings, many of which feature original prints designed by Mulaire’s father. “Every print has a story and we always try to tell a story of our Indigenous people.” Non-medical face masks are a recent addition that’s been popular.
Her styles range from business apparel to vacation staples and leggings, many of which feature original prints designed by Mulaire’s father.Handout
From the beginning, operating sustainably has been important to Mulaire. “As challenging as being sustainable and made in Canada is, I knew my core values and I never left that,” she says. Her fabrics, such as her winter-ready bamboo fleece, are milled in Ontario following the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex and her pieces are all sewn by a team in Winnipeg. “I will always make in Winnipeg. I will always be sustainable," she says. "And as I grow, I try to be more sustainable every step of the way.”
Anne Mulaire Boutique, 421 Mulvey Ave. E., Winnipeg, 204-231-1433, annemulaire.ca.
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Anne Mulaire Leggings with La Fleche Print, $112.
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Anne Mulaire Non-Medical Cotton/Bamboo Mask in White Floral, $19.
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Anne Mulaire Wrap Blazer, $249, and Chaplin Wide Pants, $169.
Style news
Jewellery brands are launching designs and initiatives ahead of the holiday gift-giving season. This month, Tiffany & Co. (tiffany.ca) began sharing the full journey of its newly sourced, individually registered diamonds of 0.18 carats or higher, increasing traceability by disclosing where each stone is crafted and set. David Yurman (davidyurman.com) has recently launched its Amulet Builder, an online tool that lets users select from 40 signature chains and 350 amulets to create a unique design piece. Toronto’s Mejuri (mejuri.com) has debuted its first men’s collection. And throughout October, Montreal’s Vargas Goteo (vargasgoteo.com) will donate between $15 and $50 from each piece sold from its High Seas collection to the organization No Kid Hungry.
Startup Fashion Week (startupfashionweek.com) kicks off virtually from Toronto next week. Running from Oct. 19 to 23, this edition features a lineup that includes a virtual opening party and conference, podcast interviews, designer diary videos and a film screening. A runway show hosted by Real Housewives of Toronto alum, Dr. Ann Kaplan, will be taking place at the Immersive van Gogh Exhibit.
Three international fashion brands have each launched a new retail presence in Canada. In Vancouver, Prada has created a pop-up store at Holt Renfrew Vancouver. It’s a celebration of the Prada Re-Nylon collection, a capsule line highlighting the Italian brand’s signature fabric, this time made entirely of regenerated nylon created from discarded plastics. New York-based Canadian designer Tanya Taylor has expanded the offerings of her colourful, non-medical face masks designs directly to Canadian wearers through Indigo. The national retailer now stocks two exclusive packs of face masks in both adult and children sizes. Finally, Oct. 22 sees the launch of The Vampire’s Wife x H&M, a limited-edition collaboration featuring the British cult brand’s feminine and somewhat macabre dresses and accessories.
Swedish fragrance and fashion house Byredo is releasing its first makeup collection. Created in collaboration with makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench, the collection is gender neutral and takes an instinctive, artistic approach best showcased by the Colour Stick, a multipurpose cream available in 16 shades that can be worn any which way on eyes, lips or cheeks. In Canada, it’s available at Holt Renfrew and through byredo.com. Byredo founder Ben Gorham has also partnered with IKEA on Osynlig, a collection of 13 scented candles launching in November. The scents are meant to enhance the feeling of home by evoking different emotions, from childhood nostalgia to future aspirations.
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